An Act To Promote Efficiency in the Use of the Communications Equipment Fund
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the Communications Equipment Fund provides specialized communications equipment to meet the communications needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired persons and persons with disabilities; and
Whereas, changes in the allocation of money from the fund are necessary to increase the efficiency in the use of the fund and address critical communications equipment needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired persons and persons with disabilities who rely on equipment provided by the fund; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1419-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 336, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §1419-A, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 336, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §7104, sub-§5, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 683, Pt. A, §59, is amended to read:
If the Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services does not receive from federal or other sources funds in addition to the $85,000 sufficient to carry out the purposes of Title 26, section 1419-A, the commission, at the request of the Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, may transfer from the state universal service fund to the Communications Equipment Fund an additional $37,500 $100,000.
The commission may, upon the request of the Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services and after a finding that the funds are necessary and that sufficient attempts have been made by the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services to maximize federal support to support emergency alert telecommunications service, annually transfer up to $60,000 in fiscal year 2005-06, up to $90,000 in fiscal year 2006-07 and up to $120,000 in any subsequent fiscal year $57,500 from the state universal service fund established by this section to the Communications Equipment Fund established under Title 26, section 1419-A for the exclusive purpose of supporting the discount program established under Title 26, section 1419-A, subsection 6.
The commission may require contributions to the state universal service fund in an amount necessary to collect amounts transferred pursuant to this subsection.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
summary
The Communications Equipment Fund receives money from the state universal service fund to provide communications equipment and related services to deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired persons and persons with disabilities. This bill makes changes to the funding levels for specific programs under the Communications Equipment Fund while preserving the total annual amount available to the Communications Equipment Fund at the amount authorized for fiscal year 2007-08 and subsequent years, which is $242,500. The bill increases from $122,500 to $185,000 the maximum annual funding for communications equipment purposes, including purchase, lease, distribution, maintenance and repair of specialized equipment, and clarifies that this funding may be used for associated administrative costs. The bill decreases from $120,000 to $57,500 the maximum annual funding for the discount program for emergency alert telecommunications services for low-income persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The bill also expands the technology covered by the discount program to include one-way pagers, in addition to two-way pagers and wireless telecommunications devices, and requires that the discount for one-way pagers be equal to the monthly service charge.